Tesla is reportedly on the brink of a new vehicle manufacturing method that could completely overhaul how the automotive industry designs and produces cars.
Reuters reports that the now Texas-based electric vehicle (EV) maker is working on a technique that would allow it to cast a near-complete underbody of its vehicles. The company pioneered the assembly of vehicles made up of large modules — a process it labeled “gigacasting.” Still, the new process would take complex vehicle undersides down from hundreds of separate components to just a single part.
Observers said successfully putting the technique into practice would have a range of ramifications both for Tesla and its rivals. It could, for example, trim vehicle development times from three to four years down to 18 to 24 months or help fulfill Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s vision of cutting production costs by half — even as the company churns out millions more cars.
But the plan also presents its own risks. Casting large parts is expensive, as is making any changes to the casting process. Tesla reportedly slashed development costs for the mold by 3D-printing prototypes from industrial sand rather than metal. However, the parts cast using the final mold must still be able to meet strength and safety standards for vehicles. The company could also need to tweak vehicle frames or build larger facilities depending on what kind of “gigapress” it elects to use.
The report, however, noted that Tesla’s efforts are also coming at an opportune time: it is in the process of developing a pair of smaller, cheaper, and less complex EVs aimed at entry-level car buyers.
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